Extension for a tubular chair leg



Nov. 8, 1955 H. H. STECHMANN EXTENSION FOR A TUBULAR CHAIR LEG Filed Jan. 2, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

Ti 1i dm r nnnrvv United States Patent EXTENSION FOR A TUBULAR CHAIR LEG Herman H. Stechmann, Davenport, Iowa, assignor of onehalf to William C. Upholf, Moline, lll.

Application January 2, 1952, Serial No. 264,433

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-88) This invention relates to chairs having tubular legs and has for its object, the provision of means for extending the legs of such chairs to make them usable for small children, so they can eat conveniently and comfortably at a dining table of regular height. These extensions are frictionally held in place within the legs of a chrome chair and, when needed, can be pulled out to their full length and will then be held against return, automatically, in this extended position.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair with tubular legs such as are commonly termed chrome chairs, the same being shown equipped with leg extensions;

Fig. 2 represents a section taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 22 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a shell assembly shown in Fig. 2.

The chair as illustrated by Fig. l is provided with hollow legs 1, and in each of these legs is inserted an extension 2. In this extension is formed a plurality of holes in which extensions are inserted spring shells 4 having plungers 6 actuated by springs 5. The inner ends of each of the plungers 6 is provided with a radially outwardly extending flange 7, the diameter of which is approximately the same as, but not larger than, the internal diameter of the shells 4. As will be seen from Fig. 2, portions 8 at the outer ends of the shells 4 overlie the associated flanges 7 and prevent the springs from moving the plungers 6 entirely out of the shells 4, especially in the case of the lowermost plunger 6 in the extension adjustment shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to reduce the chair to its normal height, the plungers can be pushed into the shells 4, and then the leg ex tensions 2 can be pushed up into the legs 1.

In the lower end of each leg extension 2 is tightly fitted a plug in the nature of a foot 3, which is made, customarily, of very smooth plastic, or of rubber or rubber-like material, to prevent the leg extension 2 from scratching a polished floor. Also, these feet 3, having a greater circumference than that of the leg extensions 2, prevent the leg extensions from going entirely up into the chair legs 1, and which would make it difiicult to withdraw them when it is desired to have the chair higher than originally intended.

As each leg extension 2 is pulled out ready for use, one of the lower plungers 6 protrudes from one of the holes in the leg extension 2 in order to keep the leg extension from slipping too far back into the chair leg 1, while the plunger 6 which is nestled within the chair leg as well as being within the leg extension 2, reacts directly against the inside of the chair leg 1 to keep the leg extension 2 from falling out of the chair leg. By reason of the plurality of plungers 6, it is possible to adjust the height of the chair by diiferent amounts by pulling the leg extension 2 out different distances so that at difierent times different ones of the plungers 6 keep the leg extension 2 projected the desired amount.

It is of course understood that the specific description of structure set forth above may be departed from without departing from the spirit of this invention as disclosed in this specification and as defined by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A chair including hollow legs of tubular construction open at their lower ends, a tubular extension for each leg, each extension having an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the associated tubular leg, so as to fit slidably but snugly therein, each extension having a plurality of openings in the wall thereof, a plurality of shells secured in the openings, one for each opening, each being a hollow cup-like member closed at its inner end and open at its outer end, the diameter of the outer end being appreciably larger than the diameter of the opening in the associated leg extension, in coaxial relation to the associated opening, and a spring and plunger in each shell, each plunger comprising a hollow part having at its inner end a radially outwardly extending flange abutting against the wall portion surrounding the associated opening to limit the outward movement of the plunger, said spring being positioned between the closed end of the associated shell and the outer end of said plunger, the major portion of the latter lying outwardly of the associated opening in order to be engageable with the lower end of the associated hollow leg for preventing the upward movement of the associated extension relative thereto, the outer end of each plunger being rounded to facilitate manual depression of the plunger into the supporting shell to telescope the leg extension into the associated leg.

2. A chair including hollow legs of tubular construction open at their lower ends, a tubular extension for each leg, each extension having an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the associated tubular leg, so as to fit slidably but snugly therein, each extension having a plurality of openings in the wall thereof, a plurality of shells, one for each opening, each being a hollow cup-like member closed at its inner end and open at its outer end, in coaxial relation to the associated opening, a spring and plunger in each shell, each plunger comprising a hollow part having at its inner end a radially outwardly extending flange, and said extension wall having means surrounding each of the openings therein and extending inwardly in a position to engage the flange of the associated plunger to limit the outward movement of the latter, each of said springs being positioned between the closed end of the associated shell and the outer end of said plunger, the major portion of the latter lying outwardly of the associated opening in order to be engageable with the lower end of the associated hollow leg for preventing the upward movement of the associated extension relative thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 241,728 Saunders May 17, 1881 942,490 Dunn Dec. 7, 1909 1,039,759 Knight Oct. 1, 1912 1,520,589 Matkovic Dec. 23, 1924 2,329,601 Frye Sept. 14, 1943 2,378,852 James June 19, 1945 2,546,871 Schley Mar. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 367,559 France Nov. 5, 1906 570,620 Germany Mar. 6, 1932 

